FRIDA Y MAY 24, 2 019 CAYMAN CO MPASS Pooches and pools are an expensive mix When doggies take a d ip, the cleaning bills climb B2 ■ON STAGE CAYMAN WEEKENDER Chitty Chitty Bang Bang JR. High of 89 Low of 76 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 A CLEAR PICTURE OF A THRIVING ECONOMY ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY, 24 MAY 2019 SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY Brac to the future 1960 POPULATION 1,486 1999 POPULATION 1,937 2018 POPULATION 2,006 Sister Islands Grand Cayman From 1960 to 2018 the Sister Islands population grew by about 35 % From 1960 to 2018 Grand Cayman's population grew by about 808 % 1960 POPULATION 7,025 1999 POPULATION 37,083 2019 POPULATION 63,807 Stakeholders aim to fuel the next Sister Islands boom KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Geographically speaking, Cayman Brac and Grand Cayman are separated by 90 miles of water. In terms of economic de- velopment, the distance could be measured in decades. A glance at Cayman Brac’s population demo- graphics reveals several trends that stand in sharp contrast to Grand Cayman. For starters, the Brac’s pop- ulation has barely grown since the 1960s, and has in fact shrunk since 2008, according to labour force surveys. Additionally, those who live there are much more likely than Grand Cayman residents to either work for government or be retired. The percentage of elderly people on the Brac is more than double than that on Grand Cayman, and the percentage of central govern- ment workers is four times as high. For some, “that’s how we like it”, according to Richard ‘Mossy’ Moss, a former teacher and ‘BATTLE-READY’ MCLEAN NAMED NEW OPPOSITION LEADER East End MLA Arden McLean was sworn in as the new Leader of the Opposition by Governor Martyn Roper on Thursday, re- placing North Side MLA Ezzard Miller who re- signed in early May. Roper announced McLean’s new role after confirming that the majority of opposition leg- islators supported him to be their next leader. “I am pleased to welcome Mr. McLean to his new position as Leader of the Opposi- tion,” the governor said in a statement. “This is obviously an important role which comes with great responsibility, and I wish him well and look forward to working with him in the future.” The Opposition said in a statement Thursday that Miller had served as its leader for 23 months, “having served five months more than he had originally agreed to do”. Support for Miller among the collection of independent backbench legislators had crum- bled in recent months. First, his deputy leader Alva Suckoo resigned, citing concerns over Miller’s leadership. Then, the rest of the op- position group wrote to Miller requesting that he not speak on their behalf unless explicitly authorised. Miller resigned as chairman of the Public Accounts Committee a week later. McLean will likely assume that role, too, as the opposition leader has traditionally also been Public Ac- counts Committee chairman in Cayman. McLean, the MLA for East End, took the oath of office in the Governor’s Office, wit- nessed by family members, Suckoo and an- other Opposition member Chris Saunders. Suckoo has been re-appointed as deputy leader of the Opposition. McLean said in the statement, “I am hum- bled that my fellow Independent Mem- bers have honoured the succession plan we agreed some 23 months ago. I look forward PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Colorado State researchers keep eye on tropical weather KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Located just north of Denver, Colorado, the community of Fort Collins shares little with the climate or geography of the Caribbean. This semi-arid college town sits sand- wiched between the Rocky Mountains to the west and the Great Plains to the east. Snow falls here well into late spring and with summer comes drier, sunnier days. At the Colorado State University campus, however, researchers in Fort Collins have their focus on the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season, officially starting 1 June. Colorado may seem an odd location for a hurricane research centre like the CSU Trop- ical Meteorology Project. Many scientists con- sidered ‘founding fathers’ of tropical mete- orology, however, have called this campus home, explained graduate research assistant Jhordanne J. Jones. “The Colorado State Department of Atmos- pheric Science is one of the earlier hubs of at- mospheric science research,” Jones said. One of the seminal members of the depart- ment, William Gray, drove much of the early research on global climatology and tropical cyclone formation. Now, Jones, a native of Ja- maica, works alongside research scientists Phil Klotzbach and Michael Bell to generate PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » A climber rappels down The Bluff on Cayman Brac. – PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKER2 LOCAL®IONAL FRIDAY, 24 MAY 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS West Shore Center, Seven Mile Beach • 10am to 10pm Cayman Cookin’ Over a Wood Fire! Internati onal Award-Winning Caribbean Chicken! Dine-in!Take-out! Indulge on a feast for 2 to 4 or 6 or more! With an awesome selection of sides to choose from. 945-2290 3.2% -0.4% -7.2% -2.7% 1.2% 1.2% 1.3% 2.7% 2.8% 3.1% 3.0% 1.9% -0.1% -2.5% 2.6% 1.6% 2.2% 1.8% 2.5% 2.9% 1.6% 2.2% 20072008200920102011201220132014201520162017 Growth in Real GDP 2007 - 2017 CaymanUSA CELEBRATE CAYMAN MEMORABILIA ON SALE Memorabilia created to mark the 60th anniversary of Cayman’s coat of arms will be on sale until the end of June. Celebrate Cayman, which was established by government to organise the anniversary celebrations, is offering an array of items to mark the event. Beginning Tuesday, 28 May, and continuing through the month of June, on every Tuesday and Thursday from 11am to 2pm, the items will be on sale in the lobby of the Cayman Islands Gov- ernment Administration Building on Elgin Avenue. On sale from between $10 and $35 will be um- brellas, neckties, bandanas, scarves, jigsaw puzzles, plates, mugs, plates and car flags. All the items feature the 60th anniversary logo and the coat of arms. Damaged police chopper to be inspected in US The police helicopter that was damaged in February during takeoff is being sent to the United States for an assessment on the extent and nature of repairs that need to be made on the vehicle. The EC135 helicopter was wrapped and delivered to the port on Tuesday to be shipped to Houston, and then to Louisiana for the assess- ment at an approved repair station with the manufac- turer, Airbus. The Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service received a new US$11 million Airbus H145 helicopter in March, and are in discussions with insurers about the damaged one. The 1999 model heli- copter had a projected useful life of about five years when it arrived in Cayman in early 2010 and by now has gone well beyond that date. However, a thorough – and expensive – maintenance re- gime kept the vehicle in peak condition over the years. Be- fore the helicopter was dam- aged in February, RCIPS Air Support Unit commanders expect it to last at least an- other five years on patrol. Between 2013 and 2017, the Cayman Islands government spent a total of $2.1 million on maintenance for the air- craft – averaging just more than $425,000 per year. Umbrella, ties, scarves, puzzles, mugs, plates and flags are among the Celebrate Cayman memorabilia on sale until the end of June. The damaged helicopter has been wrapped up for delivery to Louisiana. - PHOTO: RCIPS TRIO PLEADS GUILTY TO SELLING LOTTERY TICKETS SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Three people pleaded guilty to selling lottery tickets Thursday stemming from an incident in October. Devon Everton Cham- bers, Patrick Anthony Comrie and Tieshia Davis, all represented by de- fence counsel Crister Brady, pleaded guilty to selling lot- tery tickets in George Town on 13 Oct. 2018. Magistrate Grace Don- alds asked Chambers if he wanted to plead to pos- session of criminal prop- erty relating to monetary amounts of CI$5,249.70 and US$20, but Brady said some of the money seized from his client that day had nothing to do with any illegal transaction. “We’re not saying all that money was criminal property at all,” said Brady. The trio of defendants will return to court on 4 June. Comrie and Davis also face charges of posses- sion of criminal property. GENERAL STRIKE SLOWS COMMERCE IN NICARAGUA MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) – A general strike called by Nicaragua’s opposition to demand the release of political prisoners had a mixed impact Thursday. Small businesses, some supermarkets and private schools closed in the cap- ital. But pharmacies and gas stations were open. Traffic was lighter than usual, with many private vehicles off the roads, but buses and taxis were circu- lating as usual. The government had warned banks they would be sanctioned if they par- ticipated in the strike called by opposition coalitions. A private school at- tended by some of Pres- ident Daniel Ortega’s grandchildren was among those closed, though it said that was for secu- rity reasons.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS FRIDAY, 24 MAY 2019 • SECURED GATED ENTRY & EXIT • SWIMMING POOL & SUN LOUNGERS • GYM • LANDSCAPED GARDENS BY LEADING DESIGNER • RESIDENT ROOF TERRACE • SECURED ALLOCATED PARKING KARMA SEAVIEW is an exciting and vibrant development of 10 luxury high end condos in South Sound overlooking the Caribbean Sea. KARMA SEAVIEW also enjoy the following features: *TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY. Starting from US$874,950.00 MLS# 410238, 410242 STAMP DUTY & LEGAL FEES PAID BY DHOWN HOMES* Alister Ayres: (345) 926-2885 • Alister@CaymanIslandsPropertiesLtd.com Karma Seaview www.karmaseaview.ky Karma Seaview www.CaymanIslandsPropertiesLtd.com Douglas R. Sell (345) 525-4444 Doug@CaymanIslandsPropertiesLtd.com Alister Ayres (345) 926-2885 Alister@CaymanIslandsPropertiesLtd.com www.primelocationscayman.com Nikki Thomas (345) 916-2436 nikki@primelocationscayman.com Member of Cireba Member of Cireba OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY 25 MAY. 11AM - 2PM. For further details, please contact the Realtors. 3 Sold In First Week3 Sold In First WeekThe islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion & Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHER KATHLEEN CAPETTA EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way” Since the first settlers arrived upon these shores, the people of the Cayman Islands have charted our own course. Our history and culture have been influenced and inflected by the trickles and waves of immigrants who, from the earliest days, have contributed to and been enriched by our community and way of life. Perhaps that notion, or something like it, is what Governor Martyn Roper was thinking of when he shared a recent Compass infographic showing the numbers and nationalities of Cayman’s international workforce. “Fascinating graphic showing different nationalities of our 27K work permit holders,” he wrote in an accompa- nying note on Facebook. “Along with strong Caymanian culture, tradition and heritage, this diversity is an impor- tant contributor to our Islands’ success.” His observations, clearly intended to be positive and unifying, should not have been controversial. Even the wording – ‘along with’ … ‘important contributor’ – stayed well clear of the empty, if all too familiar, ‘Caymanians vs. foreigners’ debate. That did not prevent some from seizing the opportunity to fan the flames of divisiveness. To his credit, the governor offered to meet with people concerned that generational Caymanians are being shut out from our islands’ growing prosperity. There is no question, our islands’ growth has come with challenges, including affordability, particularly in housing, and maxim- ising opportunities for Caymanian youth. This editorial board staunchly defends the freedom of individual citizens to pursue their enlightened and legiti- mate self-interest within a competitive economy and enjoy the fruits of their labour. We all want and deserve to live in a territory that offers equal opportunities. A climate in which individual initiative is rewarded, excel- lence is pursued and access to opportunity free of dis- crimination is guaranteed. But the assertion that there are, as one person com- mented to the governor on Facebook, “far more Cay- manian people suffering than succeeding” disregards important statistics that suggest it is overall growth, not ‘job-stealing foreign workers’ that led to the record- breaking 27,263 work permits and government contracts held by non-Caymanians at the end of last year. Even as work permit numbers have climbed, the unemployment rate among Caymanians has shrunk to less than 5% – its lowest rate in over a decade. As Steve McIntosh, CEO of CML recruitment, told the Compass: “Recent history has proven the paradigm that unem- ployment and work permits are negatively correlated. As work permits have increased to record levels, so unemployment has sunk to historic lows, both driven by economic growth. Our recent experience ought to have settled that debate, if there ever was one.” As Premier Alden McLaughlin told the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference last year, “Cayman is easily the most cosmopolitan country in the region.” Our diversity is part and parcel of our identity. Because of Cayman’s complex and unique history, there are few hard lines between ‘foreign’ and ‘local’ populations – rather a continuum as new residents have assimilated into the established population, which itself adapts to the new influences. Our current challenges will not be met by pointing fingers. ‘Us vs. them’ might be a fine approach to sporting events, but it’s no way to run a country. The fact is that any jurisdiction, Cayman included, relies on a diverse, engaged and productive population in order to survive. A clear picture of a thriving economy FRIDAY, 24 MAY 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS South Africa’s next big challenge BLOOMBERG EDITORIAL BOARD Having helped carry the African National Congress across the finish line in elec- tions earlier this month, de- spite South Africans’ im- patience with the party’s persistent corruption, Presi- dent Cyril Ramaphosa will now need to lead his party to- wards greater reform. The ANC’s seemingly ro- bust 57.5% win was its slim- mest margin of victory in a national election since the end of apartheid. Without Ramaphosa’s personal popu- larity, the party would surely have done worse. Low voter turnout this time around points to the public disaffection engen- dered by former President Jacob Zuma’s nine years of patronage politics, bribery and looting of state resources. South Africa’s economy has yet to recover, too: Since 2014, it has failed to grow by more than 2% – a rate well below what is needed to shrink un- employment, which recently hit a crippling 27.6%. Al- most half the population of 55 million lives in chronic poverty. And South Africa has become what the World Bank calls the most unequal country on Earth. Ramaphosa, who took over the presidency from Zuma 15 months ago, has taken aim at corruption by sacking some compromised ministers and officials and empowering in- vestigations. But much of his party still has not gotten the message. Several high-pro- file malefactors have been re-elected to parliament. Ramaphosa needs to keep them out of his cabinet. He also needs to make sure that those responsible for en- gaging in past acts of corrup- tion are held to account. To that end, the president must ensure that the National Pros- ecuting Authority, badly dam- aged by Zuma but now under stronger leadership, has the resources it needs. Equally necessary and even more bold would be a move to replace South Africa’s Public Pro- tector – in effect a national ombudsman – who has not lived up to the high standards set by her predecessor. To jump-start South Af- rica’s economy, Ramaphosa has promised to attract $100 billion in foreign investment within five years. He might begin by finalising long-de- layed legislation that regu- lates the country’s mineral and petroleum industries, sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest destination for foreign direct investment. He should also respond to investors’ con- cerns about plans to change the country’s regulations on the protection of intellectual property, and fix cumber- some visa and work permit regulations. Most productive of all would be to carry out plans to split up the money-losing state-owned power com- pany Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd., a nexus of inefficiency and graft that now carries more than $30 billion in debt. Its frequent outages inflict huge costs on the economy. Ramaphosa must convince unions, staunch ANC backers, that there is more to be gained by expanding oppor- tunity and competition than by maintaining the bloated payrolls of Eskom and other state-owned enterprises. For too long, the ANC has corralled votes by effectively ring-fencing the privileges of the minority of South Af- rican workers with formal jobs. The toxic national con- sequences of that are glar- ingly evident in South Af- rica’s notoriously weak educational system. The country spends more than 6% of GDP on it, a share as large as that of more devel- oped nations. But while ac- cess to education has ex- panded, South African students perform dismally in international rankings – not least because teachers’ unions embedded with the ANC have long resisted re- form and accountability. For South Africa’s sake, such insider bargains need to stop. To provide the ANC’s promised “better life for all”, Ramaphosa should put his country before his party. If he does so, both may come out on top. © 2019, Bloomberg. Several high-profile malefactors have been re-elected to parliament. Ramaphosa needs to keep them out of his cabinet. LETTER Managing sargassum The quantities of sar- gassum seaweed on Cayman beaches is caused by climate- warming and pollution of our oceans by mankind. Climate change is not a hoax. It’s real as rain. Sargassum infesta- tions in the Caribbean (and around the world) exude hy- drogen sulfide which causes death to pelagic sea-life, tur- tles, fish, etc., and causes ill- ness in human beings – res- piratory problems, nausea, tearing and burning eyes, great malaise. Seaweed spe- cies are the ancient ‘trees of the oceans’ but our oceans are being polluted by man- kind’s use of them as a waste- bin for plastic trash and in- dustrial chemicals. The seas are warming and rising as Earth’s polar ice- caps melt and we humans are being shown by Mother Nature that our planet is in danger of extinction. In the meanwhile, where can the tons of stinking sargassum weed on Cayman’s beaches go? In the old days, island folk raked the weed and backed it to their gardens for compost. Too much seaweed and not enough gardens these days. Nan SocolowThe islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS FRIDAY, 24 MAY 2019 A LUXURY WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT IN THE PRESTIGIOUS YACHT CLUB COMMUNITY The Residences of Stone Island is comprised of 44 waterfront residences built to the highest standards, with 4,500 square feet of open-concept living space. This private gated community boasts an exquisite array of lifestyle amenities; Tennis court expansive infinity edge pool docking facilities private screening room children’s center waterside owner’s lounge with chef’s kitchen bar and owner’s wine storage gated with 24-hour security BBQ pavilion boardwalk boat docking lush landscaping fitness studio Welcome home to Stone Island. WWW.STONEISLANDCAYMAN.COM Three full-scale model homes available for viewing BOOK A VIEWING Sales Inquiries (345) 925-6404 | info@stoneislandcayman.com 548 Yacht Drive, just past Vista del Mar OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY, MAY 25TH 10 AM TO 2 PM PHASE 1 OVER 60% SOLDThe islands’ most-trusted news source 6 FRIDAY, 24 MAY 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS current tour-bus operator on the sister island. With so many residents having steady government jobs – more than 16% of the Sister Islands’ popula- tion works for central gov- ernment, compared to about 5% on Grand Cayman – the Brac has a more egalitarian feeling, Moss said. Moreover, the island’s low crime rate is likely due in part to the pop- ulation getting older. Steady or stagnant? But others see the trends as a sign that the Brac risks becoming stagnant. An ageing and shrinking population re- flects the lack of opportuni- ties for younger people there. “That’s why we have this initiative where we’re trying to get more growth in Cayman Brac,” said Deputy Premier and Brac representa- tive Moses Kirkconnell. To achieve the kind of growth Kirkconnell would like to see, a group of public- and private sector Brac stake- holders wants to develop the island’s tourism and financial services industries. In the long run, this could shift the Brac economy to- wards being more heavily driven by the private sector. But more government spending is needed to prime the pump for private sector growth, according to Kirkconnell. “We want to give the pri- vate sector the tools they need to invest in job creation on Cayman Brac,” the deputy premier said. Government is spending tens of millions of dollars on buildings, a piped-water net- work, roads, a sports com- plex and other infrastructure. Kirkconnell and some private sector investors are also pur- suing the idea of building a cruise pier off the Brac, though that plan is still in its infancy. Much of the Brac’s ini- tial infrastructure devel- opment came from an eco- nomic boom some 50 years ago, when the island served as a major destination for tankers making ship-to-ship transfers of oil en route to the United States. The Brac’s Faith Hospital, for instance, was built in large part to serve the needs of the then- thriving shipping industry. The Brac has not seen that kind of rapid expansion since then, according to many long- time Brac residents. In terms of population, little growth is certainly the case. Once comprising nearly a fifth of the entire country, the Sister Islands (Cayman Brac and Little Cayman) only account for about 3.1% of the Cayman population these days. During the 1970s, the number of Sister Islands res- idents ranged from 1,309 to 1,677. Hitting a high-water mark of 2,722 in 2008 – the year of the global financial crisis, as well as the destruc- tion caused on the Brac by Hurricane Paloma – the Sister Islands population fell to 2,296 by 2010. As of the autumn 2018 Labour Force Survey, the number of residents stood at 2,006. Therefore, the Sister Is- lands population has only in- creased by around 35% since 1960, compared to Grand Cayman’s exponential growth of more than 800%. That is not to say the Brac economy has not ex- panded over the years. Based on Cayman Airways ar- rivals and cargo imports, Deputy Premier Kirkconnell said the island’s gross do- mestic product has likely in- creased by 2% annually over the last two years – less than Grand Cayman, but on par with many economies around the world. Brac developer Mervyn Scott said the island’s economy is currently at an “all-time high”, with ho- tels, condos and private homes booked fully through this summer. But the economic growth on the Brac has not trans- lated into opportunities for all. In the tourism industry, for example, the Brac saw an increase in visitors of about 12% from 2015 to 2017. But more visitors are using companies such as Airbnb – which allow home- and condo-owners to rent out their places – in- stead of hotels. This benefits Brac home- owners, but it does not neces- sarily mean more hospitality jobs. Instead, many young Brackers must leave home to find work opportunities. “And when they have to leave their families, they’re replaced by caregivers,” Kirk- connell said of the economic migration. “So it’s not the mix we want.” Ideas and aspirations Kirkconnell paints a pic- ture of a future Brac that looks more similar to Grand Cayman: an island driven by financial services and tourism, supported by gov- ernment investment. Other stakeholders have a similar vision. In financial services, the new venture TechCayman – an organisation similar to Cayman Enterprise City, in that they both attract busi- nesses to Cayman by offering government-provided con- cessions and other services – has committed to building a data centre and a training centre on the Brac. In tourism, the Dart Group recently purchased Brac luxury hotel Le Soleil d’Or, which has been mostly closed since 2017. Dart in- tends to restore the resort to full operations, and Kirkcon- nell said the developer is dis- cussing starting other pro- jects on the island, too. Scott, the operations man- ager for Scott Development, also has plans to start a ferry service to Little Cayman, and to build a sky canopy ride that would circle the Brac’s bluff. “My proposal to stimulate economy is to put in the sky train going along the edge of the Bluff from the western end of the island all the way to the lighthouse down along the north coast,” Scott said. But the TechCayman, sky- car, and ferry projects are contingent on massive infra- structure investments. TechCayman’s promise to build a data and training centre on the Brac will only happen if another sub-sea internet cable is built there. There is currently one sub- sea cable that connects to the Brac from Jamaica and Grand Cayman, but Tech- Cayman director Gene Thompson said the data centre would need an extra cable for redundancy. Likewise, Scott said his tourism projects are contin- gent on the Brac cruise pier plan getting off the ground. Kirkconnell said a group of local investors is still ex- ploring the cruise pier pro- ject, but beyond that, little tangible progress has been announced. The sub-sea cable and cruise pier projects would be added to heavy doses of gov- ernment spending already being injected into the Brac. Public sector support In 2018, government spent more than $20 million solely on the Sister Islands – ex- penses on healthcare, air- lift, affordable housing and other services. Those expenditures amount to roughly 2.3% of government’s $879,498,000 public sector expenses for that year, but do not include expenses on police, educa- tion, fire and a slew of other government services deliv- ered across the islands. Gov- ernment’s budgetary fig- ures do not break down how much it costs to provide these services to the Sister Is- lands, but the figure is likely in the millions. Along with the tens of millions of dollars in opera- tional expenses, government is spending millions more on long-term capital projects. Work is under way on a series of new government buildings, including a cus- toms office, immigration of- fice, hospital facilities, and a vehicle licensing office. Kirkconnell said govern- ment eventually hopes to re- locate some ‘back office’ staff from Grand Cayman to the Brac, and the new buildings will help free up existing of- fice space to make that a possibility. Work also continues on the Brac’s new sports complex on the Bluff. Prince Charles cut the ribbon on the new $2 mil- lion, 25-metre swimming pool in March, and a multipurpose centre nearby is estimated to cost at least $9 million. Additionally, the Water Authority is in the midst of a $35 million plan to lay more than 80 miles of pipe, in- tended to connect about 80% of Cayman Brac residents to the water grid by 2030. Eco- nomics and Statistics Office data state that only a little more than 14% of Sister Is- lands households currently have access to piped water. The needs for the pro- ject are multifold, according to Water Authority officials, who say that it will boost the Brac’s economy, en- courage development and im- prove standards of living and public health. However, progress has been slow. The Water Au- thority started the devel- opment in 2013 and so far has spent more than $4.5 million to make about 180 connections. The water works are also a major reason government allocated $1 million annually in its 2018/19 budget to re- pair the island’s roads – be- cause sections of road are being torn up to lay the pipes. Road works have helped to support Scott Development, which is the Brac’s largest private sector employer with nearly 50 employees. Ideally, Scott Development director Paul Scott said his company will work on put- ting in private subdivisions for homes – clearing bush, levelling hills with hammers, and paving roads. But government road jobs help keep people working when private sector business is slow, said Scott. “We always had one or two road jobs for the last 20-25 years, but the last year we had one fair-sized government job and a smaller road job,” Scott said last year. “But we haven’t had any major road jobs for the last two to three years, be- sides two for government.” Looking for a boom Even with road jobs, most of Scott Development’s busi- ness comes from shipping concrete and sand to Grand Cayman, said Scott. “We need a little more,” he said. “The amount of men it takes to run a business this size, we need a little more going on.” Scott is confident that most Brackers agree with his family and others that it is high time for the island to be developed. He said he thinks the idea that Brackers like keeping the island quiet and undeveloped is a myth. “I think that’s sort of a myth,” he said. “People from Grand Cayman think that be- cause the Brac is a religious island and family oriented. It’s safe for kids to play on the streets and the beach. We have no crime, no pollution, and crystal-clean waters.” Those waters “need to be explored by more people from the world”, he added. Brac to the future CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Prince Charles visited Cayman Brac’s new swimming pool during his visit in March. The swimming pool cost $2 million, and is one of several major capital projects government has undertaken on the island. - PHOTOS: KEN SILVA Cayman Brac’s asphalt plant, pictured above, is set to produce about 240 tonnes of asphalt per week this year for road repairs. Government spends about $1 million annually on the Brac’s roads.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS FRIDAY, 24 MAY 2019 The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 FRIDAY, 24 MAY 2019 CAYMAN COMPASS Millicent (Elaine) Gaynor 10 June 1956 – 21 April 2019 The Family of the late Millicent Gaynor (also affectionately known as Elaine Gaynor) regrets to announce her passing on Sunday, 21 April 2019 at 7:02 PM. Elaine was the former owner and operator of Tony’s Jerk Restaurant (now known as Famous Restaurant), supplier of almond and peanut drops, sweet potato and cornmeal puddings to various supermarkets and gas stations, and served daily lunches to various construction sites in Grand Cayman. She is survived by her sons, Trevor Anderson (Cayman Islands), and Mervin Brown (USA), brother, Rupert Gaynor (Jamaica), sisters, Melrose Gaynor (USA), Beverly Gaynor (USA), Myrtle Gaynor (Jamaica), and Maud Gaynor (Jamaica), daughters-in-law, Jennifer Anderson (Cayman Islands), and Faith Brown (USA), 5 grandchildren, along with a host of other relatives, special friends and church family. Candlelight Vigil will be held 6:00 PM on Saturday, 25 th May 2019 at 710 West Fernando Court, Southborough, Portmore, St. Catherine, Jamaica, West Indies; refresh- ments will follow. Funeral Services will be held 1:00 PM on Sunday, 26 th May 2019, at the New Land Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 101 Newland Road, (across from Joong Supermarket, Pharmacy and Home Centre), Newland, Portmore, St. Catherine, Jamaica, West Indies. Viewing will take place from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM. Interment will follow at Meadowrest Memorial Gardens, Spanish Town, St. Catherine, Jamaica, West Indies. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made by contacting her family at +1 (345) 548-8331 or +1 (345) 917-7668. to working with them all to ensure that Cayman’s suc- cess story is shared by eve- ryone. I know this won’t be an easy task, as regrettably, we have individuals in the system that are hell bent on preserving Cayman Is- lands prosperity for a se- lect few. However, as I have learned from my time at sea, ‘a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor,’ so I am battle ready.” In the statement, Suckoo thanked Miller for his con- tributions, including “his five extra months at the helm”. Suckoo said he felt McLean had proven he “has the fortitude required to stand up for Caymanians”. He added, “He also has the legislative and leadership experience required to move us forward, and we look forward to working with him and supporting him in his new role.” ‘Battle-ready’ McLean named new opposition leader CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Arden McLean, fourth from left, was sworn in as Leader of the Opposition Thursday by Governor Martyn Roper. Also at the swearing-in ceremony were, from left, MLAs Chris Saunders and Alva Suckoo, McLean’s wife Alison McLean and his son Daron McLean. some of the Atlantic region’s most used and respected hurricane forecasting. Ahead of the 2019 season, Jones shared some of the project’s observations and predictions for the year. El Niño effect The Tropical Meteorology Project released its first fore- cast for the season on 4 April, anticipating a slightly below average season. While the forecast in- cludes a slight uptick in named storms – 13 com- pared to the 1981-2010 av- erage of 12.1 – it also pre- dicts fewer storm days and fewer hurricanes. The forecast anticipates five hurricanes (below the average of 6.4) and two major hurricanes (below the average of 2.7). Overall storm days on the forecast drop from the average of 59.4 to 50 and major hurricane days drop from 6.2 to four. The probability of a major hurricane tracking into the Caribbean this season is also below average, dropping to 39% compared to the average for the last century of 42%. With the start of the season just over a week away, Jones said the outlook re- mains much the same. “We are maintaining there will ne a weak or slightly increased El Niño event,” she said. “In stronger El Niño events where there is a warmed Pacific Ocean, we tend to have fewer hurricanes in the North Atlantic.” Jones explained that while El Niño means warmer temperatures for the Pacific, it also brings eastwardly winds to the Atlantic that are unfavourable for hurri- cane formation. “Caribbean winds are a very good predictor of hur- ricanes in general for the North Atlantic,” she said. “If Caribbean winds are espe- cially strong and especially eastward … it suggests there will be less hurri- cane activity.” The pre-season forma- tion of Subtropical Storm Andrea earlier this week re- inforced rather than chal- lenged the CSU forecast, Jones said. Strong eastern winds im- peded the storm and tore it apart, keeping with re- searchers’ predictions for the season. Andrea marked the fifth consecutive year that a named storm formed before the official start of the At- lantic hurricane season. In 2018, Subtropical Storm Al- berto formed around 25 May. Caribbean hurricane research Jones notes that while re- searchers are able to form so- phisticated forecast models, predicting hurricanes re- mains tricky. “There is an overall uncer- tainty no matter where we are in the world …. Predic- tion overall is incredibly dif- ficult,” she said. In the Caribbean, the crystal ball becomes even cloudier. While the re- gion benefits from work conducted in the United States, it lacks consistent data, making it difficult to form forecasting models, Jones said. “There is definitely a lack of resources,” she said. “Much of [the Caribbean’s] funding is tied to climate resilience initiatives. “As of yet, we haven’t par- ticularly branched out in terms of research to the trop- ical meteorology scope.” She said the region lacks its own systems for storm observation out in the open ocean. Much of the region’s research is restricted to land. While climate research centres in the region do exist – such as at Jamaica’s Uni- versity of the West Indies at Mona, Jones’s alma mater – she said research tends to focus on climate change rather than hurricanes in particular. “To start attracting people with the right ex- pertise to inform our deci- sion-making and our poli- cymakers, we do need to have a more hands-on ap- proach to how we observe hurricanes. We do need to have equipment and instru- ments that give us contin- uous data,” she said. Dedicated hurricane re- search in the Caribbean would benefit public un- derstanding on how storms function, Jones said. In the meantime, she con- tinues her work in Colo- rado, where she hopes to ob- tain her Ph.D. The next CSU Tropical Meteorology Project Forecast will be released on 4 June. Colorado State researchers keep eye on tropical weather Tropical Meteorology Project forecasters Phil Klotzbach, left, and Michael Bell CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 13 2019 HURRICANE SEASON PROJECTIONS NAMED STORMS 5 HURRICANES MAJOR HURRICANES 29 LOCAL NEWS MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Civil Aviation Au- thority of the Cayman Is- lands has issued the first air operator certificate for fixed- wing commercial opera- tions in the Cayman Islands’ Special Economic Zone to Cayman Bellawings. The special economic zone company is an affiliate of Hong Kong Bellawings busi- ness jet management com- pany, which currently op- erates nine aircraft on the Cayman Islands Aircraft Registry, including the Gulf- stream G-200 to be operated by Cayman Bellawings under the air operator certificate. An air operator certificate authorises an operator to carry out specified commer- cial air transport operations. Two years ago, Cayman Enterprise City and the Civil Aviation Authority announced the expansion of CEC’s Cayman Maritime Services Park to enable aviation ser- vices providers to be licensed in the special economic zone. The aim was to attract the segment of the market that ca- ters to commercial aircraft op- erations, including those that require an air operator’s certif- icate. For the authority to grant an air operator certificate to an aircraft on the Cayman Islands Aircraft Registry, the operator must have its principal place of business in the territory. Richard Smith, director general of the aviation au- thority, called it a “milestone development” for the Cayman Islands Aircraft Register. “The strategic partnership between the Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Is- lands and Cayman Enterprise City provides key elements required for facilitating ju- risdictional establishment for offshore operations, and Cayman Bellawings has dem- onstrated the viability of this arrangement,” he said. “We are excited to have Cayman Bellawings operate commercially under Cayman Islands jurisdiction, and look forward to their continued growth as they serve the needs of this dynamic industry.” In 2018, CHC Helicopter, a company that operates a search and rescue network and transports offshore oil and gas workers, became the first company in the maritime and aviation part of Cay- man’s special economic zone. Cayman Bellawings is the first fixed-wing commercial operator in the zone. HK Bellawings is the third largest fleet operator in Hong Kong and provides a range of business aviation services, from business jet manage- ment, aircraft maintenance, travel concierge service, and aircraft acquisition service to business aviation consultancy. YJ Zhang, president of HK Bellawings, said his company is honoured to be the first air operator certificate holder en- dorsed by the authority. He said Bellawings considers Cayman one of its bases in the future to help expand the diversity of the local avi- ation industry and bring more flight options to clients around the world. Charlie Kirkconnell, CEO Cayman Enterprise City, said, “It is a pleasure to wel- come internationally recog- nised jet management com- pany, Cayman Bellawings to the Cayman Maritime and Aviation City community. We know that the Cayman Is- lands is a great place to live, work, and do business from, and we’re pleased to see that businesses as far away as Hong Kong agree.” He said the growth of the aviation services industry was good news for the Cayman Is- lands “as we work towards diversifying our economy, at- tracting businesses to estab- lish a genuine physical pres- ence, and assist in growing the number of career opportu- nities for Caymanians”. The Civil Aviation Au- thority and Cayman Enter- prise City are jointly mar- keting the Cayman Islands to the aviation industry by highlighting its robust regu- latory environment, neutral tax status, and sound legal and financial system. The principal clients are aircraft owners and brokers, technology companies and startups engaged in aviation research and development, the head offices of aviation industry businesses, aircraft manufacturing and repair businesses, and businesses that provide management consultancy and other spe- cialised services to the avia- tion industry. CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY, 24 MAY 2019 Churchill’s Funeral Home We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. James TalmageWood Jr. better known as “Jim”, who passed away on Sunday, May 19, 2019. A Thanksgiving Service will be held at Savannah United Church on Saturday, May 25, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. Interment at: Pease Bay Family Cemetery In lieu of flowers donations to Seafarer’s Association, C.I. Cancer Society & Meals on Wheels. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com The Family Of The Late Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Stephen Connors regret to announce his passing on Wednesday, 15 May, 2019. Mr. Connors will be repatriated to the United States of America. The Family of the Late Blossom Scott regrets to announce her passing on Thursday, 16 May, 2019. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A funeral service will be held 2:30 p.m. Sunday, 26 May, 2019 at Church of God (Universal). Viewing will be from 1:30 p.m. prior to the service. Interment will follow in Prospect Cemetery. The Family of the Late Leonard Streete regrets to announce his passing on Tuesday, 7 May, 2019. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A funeral service will be held 3:00 p.m. Saturday, 25 May, 2019 at George Town Wesleyan Holiness Church Windsor Park. Viewing will be from 2:00 p.m. prior to the service Interment will follow in Prospect Cemetery. Remembering Henr� Gr�nenfelder Those we love don’t go away; they walk beside us ever� day, Unseen, unheard, but always near, still loved, still missed and ver� dear. Gone but not forgotten Remembered always by your sons and close fr iends. Churchill’s Funeral Home We have been asked to announce the passing of Anthony Alexander Martinez Vaquedano, who passed away on Wednesday, May 15, 2019 A Thanksgiving Service will be held at the Philadelphia Seventh Day Adventist Church, Rosemary Street, Prospect on Sunday, May 26, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. Viewing: 9:00 –10:00 a.m. Interment at: Prospect Cemetery Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com First fixed-wing air operator certificate issued to SEZ company Two years ago, Cayman Enterprise City and the Civil Aviation Authority announced the expansion of CEC’s Cayman Maritime Services Park to enable aviation services providers to be licensed in the special economic zone. Richard Smith, director-general of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands, presents the air operator certificate to YJ Zhang, president of HK Bellawings, with Charlie Kirkconnell, CEO of Cayman Enterprise City. MAN PLEADS GUILTY FOR COCAINE, DANGEROUS DRIVING SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man pleaded guilty on Thursday to possession of co- caine and dangerous driving for an April incident in which he drove a Toyota Camry into North Sound. Camilo Osvaldo Naranjo pleaded guilty to possession of 0.2 ounces of cocaine and dangerous driving in that in- cident. He pleaded not guilty to a charge of possession of cocaine with intent to supply. The court heard on his prior court date that Naranjo was pursued by officers on 3 April after he was seen driving erratically, and he hit a police vehicle before speeding off towards the Bar- cadere Marina dock. Naranjo drove into the sea and al- legedly bit into a package, causing white powder to fall into the water. The police apprehended Naranjo and seized $1,800 in cash from him on that oc- casion. Naranjo, who is rep- resented by defence counsel Clyde Allen, elected to have his dangerous driving case heard in Summary Court on Thursday shortly before pleading guilty to that charge. He will be back in court for a case management hearing on 13 June, and his trial date for possession of cocaine with intent to sell was set for 8 and 10 July. Naranjo also has a sepa- rate trial date of 12 Aug. for a case of assault causing ac- tual bodily harm.Next >